BOEM to Assess Competitive Interest in First Proposed Wind Energy Project Site Offshore West Coast

Public Comment Sought on Floating Wind Turbines Pilot Proposal

09-27-2013 Washington, D.C.

As part of President Obama’s Climate Action
Plan to create American jobs, cut carbon pollution, and develop domestic energy
sources, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today issued a request to
determine whether there is competitive interest in leasing an area offshore
Oregon that Principle Power, Inc. has proposed for a pilot-scale floating wind
energy project. BOEM must assess whether there are other parties
interested in developing commercial wind facilities in the same area in order
to determine whether it is appropriate to issue a lease on a non-competitive
basis, or whether a competitive process is required.

The proposed WindFloat Pacific Project, which
would be located about 16 nautical miles west of Coos Bay, Oregon in about
1,200 feet of water, is designed to generate 30 Megawatts (MW) of electricity
from five “WindFloat” units, each equipped with a 6 MW offshore wind
turbine. The proposed lease area covers about 15 square miles. In
addition to inquiring about competitive interest, BOEM is also seeking public
comment on the proposal, its potential environmental consequences, and the use
of the area in which the proposed project would be located.

"Today's announcement represents an
important step forward in the President’s all-of-the-above energy strategy as
we seek to facilitate renewable, clean energy generation off America’s West
Coast," said BOEM Director Tommy P. Beaudreau. "We will work
closely with the state of Oregon and stakeholders to share information and
resolve issues in order to make responsible wind energy development in federal
waters a reality."

The Windfloat Pacific Project is the latest in
a series of lease initiatives BOEM has undertaken to support offshore wind
energy development. BOEM has issued four
lease approvals on the Atlantic Coast: two non-competitive (Cape Wind in
Natuckett Sound and an area off Delaware) and two competitive
(Massachusetts-Rhode Island and Virginia).
The competitive lease sales generated $5.4 million in high bids for 277,
549 acres on the U.S. Continental Shelf.
Combined, these areas could generate enough renewable energy to power
1.7 million homes. Additional
competitive auctions for wind energy areas offshore Maryland, New Jersey and
Massachusetts will be held over the next year.

BOEM will publish a "Potential Commercial
Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Oregon,
Request for Interest” in the Federal Register on Sept. 30, 2013. The
notice will include a 30-day public comment period. Once published, BOEM will
accept comments in either of the following ways: